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Widdershins Adventures #3
Lost Covenant
This third YA novel starring the young thief Widdershins combines the angst and vulnerability of any teenage girl with the high action of the best fantasy adventures.
It’s been six months since Widdershins and her own “personal god” Olgun fled the city of Davillon. During their travels, Widdershins unwittingly discovers that a noble house is preparing to move against the last surviving bastion of the Delacroix family.
Determined to help the distant relatives of her deceased adopted father, Alexandre Delacroix, she travels to a small town at the edge of the nation. There, she works at unraveling a plot involving this rival house and a local criminal organization, all while under intense suspicion from the very people she’s trying to rescue.
Along the way she’ll have to deal with a traitor inside the Delacroix family, a mad alchemist, and an infatuated young nobleman who won’t take no for an answer.
It’s been six months since Widdershins and her own “personal god” Olgun fled the city of Davillon. During their travels, Widdershins unwittingly discovers that a noble house is preparing to move against the last surviving bastion of the Delacroix family.
Determined to help the distant relatives of her deceased adopted father, Alexandre Delacroix, she travels to a small town at the edge of the nation. There, she works at unraveling a plot involving this rival house and a local criminal organization, all while under intense suspicion from the very people she’s trying to rescue.
Along the way she’ll have to deal with a traitor inside the Delacroix family, a mad alchemist, and an infatuated young nobleman who won’t take no for an answer.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
21 people are currently reading
1136 people want to read
About the author
Ari Marmell
101 books436 followersWhen Ari Marmell has free time left over between feeding cats and posting on social media, he writes a little bit. His work includes novels, short stories, role-playing games, and video games, all of which he enjoyed in lieu of school work when growing up. He’s the author of the Mick Oberon gangland/urban fantasy series, the Widdershins YA fantasy series, and many others, with publishers such as Del Rey, Titan Books, Pyr Books, Wizards of the Coast, and now Omnium Gatherum.
Ari currently resides in Austin, Texas. He lives in a clutter that has a moderate amount of apartment in it, along with George—his wife—and the aforementioned cats, who probably want something.
Ari currently resides in Austin, Texas. He lives in a clutter that has a moderate amount of apartment in it, along with George—his wife—and the aforementioned cats, who probably want something.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
December 4, 2015
This was a fun enough read, but did not quite match the quality of the first two books in the series.
Widdershins has left Davillon and so was isolated from the rest of the characters that we have grown to love. We met some interesting new characters and Widdershins adventure was fun, but it did feel a lot like filler. We got a few glimpses of the happenings in Davillon and they were not good for the City or Widdershins friends.
The ending was as shocking as ever and the fourth book is shaping up to be pretty explosive!
Rating: 3 stars.
Audio Note: The Graphic Audio's of this series have been pretty well done. The only disappointment here is that they seem to have changed Olgen's voice. It is more difficult to decipher now so the change is not a welcome one!
Widdershins has left Davillon and so was isolated from the rest of the characters that we have grown to love. We met some interesting new characters and Widdershins adventure was fun, but it did feel a lot like filler. We got a few glimpses of the happenings in Davillon and they were not good for the City or Widdershins friends.
The ending was as shocking as ever and the fourth book is shaping up to be pretty explosive!
Rating: 3 stars.
Audio Note: The Graphic Audio's of this series have been pretty well done. The only disappointment here is that they seem to have changed Olgen's voice. It is more difficult to decipher now so the change is not a welcome one!
December 4, 2013
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...
I gotta hand it to Ari Marmell. His Widdershins Adventures books have this way of repeatedly stabbing me in the heart, but all I can say to that is "Please, may I have some more?" Lost Covenant became one of my most anticipated new releases this season, after the events at the end of False Covenant took my emotions on a roller coaster ride and left me wondering in awe about what our protagonist will do next.
It's clear, though, that Widdershins has made good on her plans to leave Davillon, to the sorrow of all her friends at home. Burdened with grief and guilt, she and her own personal god Olgun have a few things to figure out, seeking a solace that only time and distance can provide. However, while sojourning in Lourveaux, Widdershins inadvertently stumbles upon a plot against the last surviving branch of House Delacroix. Remembering Alexandre Delacroix, the nobleman who took her in and changed her life, Widdershins is determined to help save these distant relatives of the man who was like a father to her.
Widdershins and Olgun discover more about themselves in this book, which marks a turning point for the character and her pocket deity. There is no doubt she is a flawed and damaged protagonist who has chosen to run away from her problems, but that doesn't change the fact she is a fighter -- and a smart, able and competent one at that. Her background and personality is what makes her unique, and she's probably one of my favorite heroines in young adult fiction right now.
As usual, this latest installment of the series is a perfect mix of light and dark, balancing out the touching humor with plenty of horrors as well. Widdershins' internal conversations with Olgun, the god hitching a ride in her head, are as funny and outrageous as always, but this time many of their interactions are also tempered with a more somber mood as the partners-in-crime attempt to move beyond what happened in Davillon. In many ways, the personal turmoil within Widdershins is just as compelling as the main conflict in the plot, which is saying something because the ending to this book is INSANE. The suspense I felt as the characters fought to survive a hostage situation was only intensified by the difficult choices Widdershins had to make.
This book also served as a nice excursion away from Davillon, introducing some new players including fresh foes for Widdershins to fight. In terms of allies, Cyrille Delacroix was a great new addition, and he and our main protagonist made a great team. Still, this also meant I missed a lot of the characters I'd grown to know and love over the course of the series (with the bulk of my pining reserved for Renard Lambert, admittedly) which was my only dismay. We did, however, get a few glimpses through several interlude chapters that all is not well at home, with an enemy targeting those close to Widdershins.
Once again, I now find myself yearning for the next book (like I said, more more MORE please)! Lost Covenant was a satisfying and entertaining adventure, but I'll be glad to be returning to Davillon as well. Very much looking forward to Widdershins' homecoming -- and the world of pain she'll be bringing to the enemy threatening her friends.
I gotta hand it to Ari Marmell. His Widdershins Adventures books have this way of repeatedly stabbing me in the heart, but all I can say to that is "Please, may I have some more?" Lost Covenant became one of my most anticipated new releases this season, after the events at the end of False Covenant took my emotions on a roller coaster ride and left me wondering in awe about what our protagonist will do next.
It's clear, though, that Widdershins has made good on her plans to leave Davillon, to the sorrow of all her friends at home. Burdened with grief and guilt, she and her own personal god Olgun have a few things to figure out, seeking a solace that only time and distance can provide. However, while sojourning in Lourveaux, Widdershins inadvertently stumbles upon a plot against the last surviving branch of House Delacroix. Remembering Alexandre Delacroix, the nobleman who took her in and changed her life, Widdershins is determined to help save these distant relatives of the man who was like a father to her.
Widdershins and Olgun discover more about themselves in this book, which marks a turning point for the character and her pocket deity. There is no doubt she is a flawed and damaged protagonist who has chosen to run away from her problems, but that doesn't change the fact she is a fighter -- and a smart, able and competent one at that. Her background and personality is what makes her unique, and she's probably one of my favorite heroines in young adult fiction right now.
As usual, this latest installment of the series is a perfect mix of light and dark, balancing out the touching humor with plenty of horrors as well. Widdershins' internal conversations with Olgun, the god hitching a ride in her head, are as funny and outrageous as always, but this time many of their interactions are also tempered with a more somber mood as the partners-in-crime attempt to move beyond what happened in Davillon. In many ways, the personal turmoil within Widdershins is just as compelling as the main conflict in the plot, which is saying something because the ending to this book is INSANE. The suspense I felt as the characters fought to survive a hostage situation was only intensified by the difficult choices Widdershins had to make.
This book also served as a nice excursion away from Davillon, introducing some new players including fresh foes for Widdershins to fight. In terms of allies, Cyrille Delacroix was a great new addition, and he and our main protagonist made a great team. Still, this also meant I missed a lot of the characters I'd grown to know and love over the course of the series (with the bulk of my pining reserved for Renard Lambert, admittedly) which was my only dismay. We did, however, get a few glimpses through several interlude chapters that all is not well at home, with an enemy targeting those close to Widdershins.
Once again, I now find myself yearning for the next book (like I said, more more MORE please)! Lost Covenant was a satisfying and entertaining adventure, but I'll be glad to be returning to Davillon as well. Very much looking forward to Widdershins' homecoming -- and the world of pain she'll be bringing to the enemy threatening her friends.
January 2, 2014
Spoilers
-This was a bit of a let down, it was mostly filler. The first two books in the series were a lot better… Sure, they started off quite slow and boring but they eventually picked up and ended up being pretty entertaining reads. Unfortunately, this one stayed boring throughout. Hopefully, the next one will be more like the first two books.
-What's what: Widdershins with the help of the minor god (Olgun) that resides in her head have to deal with the murders and mishaps surrounding her dead foster father's extended family.
-Shins wasn't quite as fun and likeable this time around. I know she was dealing with Julien's death and was still overwhelmed by grief but her running away from her home, friends, and life pissed me off. She was still better than most YA heroines though.
-I missed Robin and Renard and their interactions with Shins. It wasn't the same without the three of them hanging out with each other.
Also, I didn't like that the setting took place outside of Davillon. Overall, there was little continuity to the first two books. The new characters and setting just seemed wasteful, it's doubtful they'll crop again in later books.
-The dialogue didn't flow very well, especially all the conversations Shins had with Olgun. She'd just say things out of the blue, come to random conclusions, and reply to questions that hadn't even been asked. It was irritating to read.
-Shins repeatedly used the expression 'Oh figs' — it was highly annoying. I hate when characters repeat the same sayings/expressions over and over.
-There was way too many exclamation marks. Whenever Shins talked to Olgun all her sentences would end in an exclamation mark — it made her come across like some sort of screechy fishwife.
-I really hope Renard isn't dead. That evul cow better not have killed him, I hope Shins returns home promptly, rescues her friends, and gets revenge.
All in all, a rather disappointing read. I didn't care about the new characters or the case-of-the week type mystery… And Shins wasn't able to hold the story on her own.
-This was a bit of a let down, it was mostly filler. The first two books in the series were a lot better… Sure, they started off quite slow and boring but they eventually picked up and ended up being pretty entertaining reads. Unfortunately, this one stayed boring throughout. Hopefully, the next one will be more like the first two books.
-What's what: Widdershins with the help of the minor god (Olgun) that resides in her head have to deal with the murders and mishaps surrounding her dead foster father's extended family.
-Shins wasn't quite as fun and likeable this time around. I know she was dealing with Julien's death and was still overwhelmed by grief but her running away from her home, friends, and life pissed me off. She was still better than most YA heroines though.
-I missed Robin and Renard and their interactions with Shins. It wasn't the same without the three of them hanging out with each other.
Also, I didn't like that the setting took place outside of Davillon. Overall, there was little continuity to the first two books. The new characters and setting just seemed wasteful, it's doubtful they'll crop again in later books.
-The dialogue didn't flow very well, especially all the conversations Shins had with Olgun. She'd just say things out of the blue, come to random conclusions, and reply to questions that hadn't even been asked. It was irritating to read.
-Shins repeatedly used the expression 'Oh figs' — it was highly annoying. I hate when characters repeat the same sayings/expressions over and over.
-There was way too many exclamation marks. Whenever Shins talked to Olgun all her sentences would end in an exclamation mark — it made her come across like some sort of screechy fishwife.
-I really hope Renard isn't dead. That evul cow better not have killed him, I hope Shins returns home promptly, rescues her friends, and gets revenge.
All in all, a rather disappointing read. I didn't care about the new characters or the case-of-the week type mystery… And Shins wasn't able to hold the story on her own.
November 13, 2015
*** 3.45 ***
I enjoyed it! The series is fun and it seems that the author is growing with every book. This third installment was not as good as the one before, mainly because it made a detour from the main arc and only barely touched base with it. The characters are growing and changing and there were no weird remembrance scenes. I am looking forward to the next book - the main protagonist is cool!!!
I enjoyed it! The series is fun and it seems that the author is growing with every book. This third installment was not as good as the one before, mainly because it made a detour from the main arc and only barely touched base with it. The characters are growing and changing and there were no weird remembrance scenes. I am looking forward to the next book - the main protagonist is cool!!!
August 3, 2016
The way the last book ended was pretty gut wrenching, but I still absolutely loved it. I felt like a turning point for Widdershins had been reached -- the whole tone of the story seemed to be changing and with this next book I was expecting things to be taken to a place where the bar would be raised, where the stakes would be higher than ever, where shit would be taken to the next level.
I was disappointed. (A trend with me lately in the various series I’ve been reading, so maybe it’s just me?) I hate to say this, but this book totally felt like - and seriously, I hate saying this next word - filler. It was all still mildly entertaining, but I never got sucked into it like I did with the first two books, and a lot of it felt kind of pointless.
Still gonna read the next one though. Of course I am, with an ending like that.
August 2, 2017
Just a quick comment, I will write a longer review later. I really liked this book except for one thing. There were 3 maybe 4 instances where the story jumped forward in time usually from the end of one chapter to the start of the next. I found this to be very confusing since it felt like a whole scene had been dropped out. Other than that the book was a good read... though I think I need to read the previous 2 books, cuz I am sure some of my confusion was caused by that.
November 24, 2014
How did we end up here
I read the first two titles in the series thanks to Pyr. Why not the third?
Okay, book. You've got 50 pages. Go!
Enter same plucky style as its predecessors, same quick jump into action and same anticipation level that got me through the last two books and fifty pages is nothing. Blew through those like tissues.
What worked . . .
Marmell is never afraid to go THERE when the plot requires him to do so. While there was far less gore in LOST COVENANT and it was really more about relationships than anything else when things needed to get done, THEY GOT DONE. And, of course, the person I am, I’m constantly second-guessing an author even though I should know better and Marmell blew my socks off at the conclusion. In one scene anyway when he went all Raiders of the Lost Ark on some of the characters, just minus the god-powered light. Loved it.
Despite it wearing thin the language still coaxed me along the pages. While it came to grate on me I can’t help but applause the level of quirk and wit that Marmell puts into his words and have them come out so effortlessly. It still makes me jealous.
What didn't work . . .
Well, I got to about 100 pages and realized that nothing much had happened and I was duped by the pretty language. It saddened me. It really did. Regardless of how jealous the words make me they were totally used as filler to fluff up a thin plot, filled with hyperbole and superfluous meandering that showed the awesomeness of the author without doing much for the story. Add in the excessive confirmation of statements, yes? That really started to get on my nerves because they were used excessively, yes? And stood out something awful, yes? And was not something I noticed in the prior books, yes? So I don’t know why this style was being used here, yes? Not fun, no.
Olgun, to me, has over-stayed his welcome and has successfully pushed himself into the realm of deus ex machina and it was never more prevalent for me than in LOST COVENANT. Maybe because the writing was wearing thin on me and there wasn’t much going on in the story to keep my attention but my, isn’t he a handy little god, going around and saving Widdershins’s ass every time she needs it.
And, well, not much happened. Someone was poisoning some crops and Widdershins solved the case. The end. Meanwhile, back in Davillon, horrible things are happening to good people and you only get maybe three brief glimpses of this and then the book ends while resolving the unnecessary and thinly related plot you probably don’t care about and leaves the plot you’ve cared about for the last two books hanging with its dick in the breeze. Annoying.
And in the end . . .
LOST COVENANT is a bridge book. Plain and simple. There’s going to be another book. The ‘Meanwhile, in Davillon . . .’ subplot wasn’t set up for nothing and all it did was give Shins an aside to have shenanigans in another city that’s so thinly related to the grander plot that you’ll end up forgetting how it’s all connected before she even finishes her sentence of explanation. It’s fluffed up with pretty, witty, distracting words that do their job in distracting you and then just rub you the wrong way when you realize what’s really going on. I’m rather disappointed that this escapade was given its own book. Cut out the fat, make it a 2.5 and be done with it. Get me back to Davillon where I belong so I can get back to the plot that I actually care about instead of solving the mystery of the festering textile crops. My faith has been damaged a little and it’s going to make me hesitant to read the next book. I probably will because who am I kidding? But I won’t be all starry-eyed going in like I was here. I have learned that the presence of Shins alone does not drive the story. In fact, her alone gets rather annoying. I need more.
I read the first two titles in the series thanks to Pyr. Why not the third?
Okay, book. You've got 50 pages. Go!
Enter same plucky style as its predecessors, same quick jump into action and same anticipation level that got me through the last two books and fifty pages is nothing. Blew through those like tissues.
What worked . . .
Marmell is never afraid to go THERE when the plot requires him to do so. While there was far less gore in LOST COVENANT and it was really more about relationships than anything else when things needed to get done, THEY GOT DONE. And, of course, the person I am, I’m constantly second-guessing an author even though I should know better and Marmell blew my socks off at the conclusion. In one scene anyway when he went all Raiders of the Lost Ark on some of the characters, just minus the god-powered light. Loved it.
Despite it wearing thin the language still coaxed me along the pages. While it came to grate on me I can’t help but applause the level of quirk and wit that Marmell puts into his words and have them come out so effortlessly. It still makes me jealous.
What didn't work . . .
Well, I got to about 100 pages and realized that nothing much had happened and I was duped by the pretty language. It saddened me. It really did. Regardless of how jealous the words make me they were totally used as filler to fluff up a thin plot, filled with hyperbole and superfluous meandering that showed the awesomeness of the author without doing much for the story. Add in the excessive confirmation of statements, yes? That really started to get on my nerves because they were used excessively, yes? And stood out something awful, yes? And was not something I noticed in the prior books, yes? So I don’t know why this style was being used here, yes? Not fun, no.
Olgun, to me, has over-stayed his welcome and has successfully pushed himself into the realm of deus ex machina and it was never more prevalent for me than in LOST COVENANT. Maybe because the writing was wearing thin on me and there wasn’t much going on in the story to keep my attention but my, isn’t he a handy little god, going around and saving Widdershins’s ass every time she needs it.
And, well, not much happened. Someone was poisoning some crops and Widdershins solved the case. The end. Meanwhile, back in Davillon, horrible things are happening to good people and you only get maybe three brief glimpses of this and then the book ends while resolving the unnecessary and thinly related plot you probably don’t care about and leaves the plot you’ve cared about for the last two books hanging with its dick in the breeze. Annoying.
And in the end . . .
LOST COVENANT is a bridge book. Plain and simple. There’s going to be another book. The ‘Meanwhile, in Davillon . . .’ subplot wasn’t set up for nothing and all it did was give Shins an aside to have shenanigans in another city that’s so thinly related to the grander plot that you’ll end up forgetting how it’s all connected before she even finishes her sentence of explanation. It’s fluffed up with pretty, witty, distracting words that do their job in distracting you and then just rub you the wrong way when you realize what’s really going on. I’m rather disappointed that this escapade was given its own book. Cut out the fat, make it a 2.5 and be done with it. Get me back to Davillon where I belong so I can get back to the plot that I actually care about instead of solving the mystery of the festering textile crops. My faith has been damaged a little and it’s going to make me hesitant to read the next book. I probably will because who am I kidding? But I won’t be all starry-eyed going in like I was here. I have learned that the presence of Shins alone does not drive the story. In fact, her alone gets rather annoying. I need more.
January 9, 2014
Note to self; Get the first two books in Ari Marmell’s WIDDERSHINS series, so that I am current on this fascinating character. If Lost Covenant is representative of this series, I’ll be in for a great time.
Widdershins is a young, snarky female thief from the city of Davillon. She is unusually skilled, not only at climbing, running and skulking, but also swordplay and even firing flintlocks. Widdershins has a bit of an edge over other humans, although it is a mixed blessing. A god lives in her head. True, Olgun is a “tiny” god, with only one follower currently, but he can give Widdershins boosts of magical power when she needs it. The two of them live in a precarious symbiosis; Olgun needs a follower to survive; Olgun’s magical strength depends, at least in part, on how healthy and focused Widdershins is, at any point in time.
Lost Covenant is the ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Widdershins is a young, snarky female thief from the city of Davillon. She is unusually skilled, not only at climbing, running and skulking, but also swordplay and even firing flintlocks. Widdershins has a bit of an edge over other humans, although it is a mixed blessing. A god lives in her head. True, Olgun is a “tiny” god, with only one follower currently, but he can give Widdershins boosts of magical power when she needs it. The two of them live in a precarious symbiosis; Olgun needs a follower to survive; Olgun’s magical strength depends, at least in part, on how healthy and focused Widdershins is, at any point in time.
Lost Covenant is the ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
May 12, 2015
For now I give 5 stars but I can change my mind. I have to read the sequel to be sure.
Rispetto ai primi due questo è tutta un'altra cosa. Il primo mi era piaciuto molto ma poteva essere qualcosina di più, però era anche il primo della serie quindi andava bene, il secondo invece non era stato all'altezza delle aspettative ma questo terzo capitolo della serie è semplicemente favoloso!
Ho riso e sorriso davvero tantissimo, Shins e Olgun mi fanno morire. E l'autore riesce a raccontarci una storia appassionante mentre imbastisce il gran finale (o almeno, credo che il prossimo libro sia anche l'ultimo). O Marmell come scrittore è cresciuto tantissimo o non sono tutti stati scritti da lui, perché questo libro è su un altro livello. E l'ho adorato dall'inizio alla fine
Rispetto ai primi due questo è tutta un'altra cosa. Il primo mi era piaciuto molto ma poteva essere qualcosina di più, però era anche il primo della serie quindi andava bene, il secondo invece non era stato all'altezza delle aspettative ma questo terzo capitolo della serie è semplicemente favoloso!
Ho riso e sorriso davvero tantissimo, Shins e Olgun mi fanno morire. E l'autore riesce a raccontarci una storia appassionante mentre imbastisce il gran finale (o almeno, credo che il prossimo libro sia anche l'ultimo). O Marmell come scrittore è cresciuto tantissimo o non sono tutti stati scritti da lui, perché questo libro è su un altro livello. E l'ho adorato dall'inizio alla fine
January 22, 2024
I quite liked Lost Covenant. Last books lost me a little bit, but with a change of setting, we get a lot more in depth characterization of Widdershins and see her work through a lot of what happened last book and realize the larger arc going on. I quite enjoyed this. 3.5 stars
April 20, 2014
It goes without saying that I was dying to read this book. After discovering Thief’s Covenant during my summer holiday on a nice beach (yes, ignoring the sea) and then whalin-I-I mean wailing through False Covenant in September, the following months which led to the release of the sequel in December 2013 was a torture beyond imagination. I went as far as going on a reading hiatus (although entering sixth form and having 6 A-Levels to do with the massive work load is a better explanation…). I was literally crying and begging my mum to at least give me some peace of mind and pre-order it (pathetic, I know…stop judging!). I know that my few months of torture probably were nothing compared to the year and a half which everyone who read the book when it was released in summer 2012 suffered, but the pain was still there. I was really excited on the release date and went into a rage fit when my mum refused to order it straight away after I said that was the book I wanted for Christmas (dear me…I’m not really selling myself well here, am I? Surely my sad life story of getting this book is also…well sad). Thankfully I managed to convince her to buy it a few days later but….AMAZON WAS OUT OF STOCK FOR IT THEN! *l’table flip* Well all that was possible had been done – it was ordered until it was available. I dreaded the wait. I came from school every day demanding to know where the book was only to find myself later crawling up the stairs to my bedroom, dragging my ~10kg+ school bag and sulking as I found it hasn’t arrived yet. The day it arrived…oh dear god…I swear I looked like Golum from LoTR while I hid in a dark corner, stroking the book and whispering creepily “My preciousssss” (according to the film version anyway…if you roll with the book, it’s ‘Birthday present’). So… why am I telling you this? Honest answer – no idea. Maybe it’s the 2 in the morning that’s getting to me, the boredom or simply to emphasise the anticipation with which I awaited this book since I believed the series was worth it. Was I right to become a crazed creature like that for this book? Or was it inevitable that this was my fate as soon as I started this series? Well…
The story – 3.5/5 stars:
So I think Marmell took the hint that he needed a more solid plot because this book had it…somewhat. I have to say – I was torn between my opinion on this book’s plot. There were flaws and there were strong points. Where do I begin?
Marmell has decided to gamble in this book and take Widdershins out into the wild, wider world. We, as readers, finally get to see something outside of Davillon. Now…a change of scene can be taken in three ways – the good way, the bad way or the ‘meh’ neutral way. The good way would be, as you can guess, to embrace the change and enjoy it. You would enjoy the refreshing change of setting and expand your knowledge of Widdershins’ world. There of course is also the bad side to this change – the rapid shift leaving you in the dark. Everything is new and unfamiliar. You have some troubles adjusting to the settings especially with Widdershins going from one place to another at the beginning which leads to confusion. Davillon wasn’t exactly grandly built up in the first place and you had just the gist of it to waffle through the first 2 books; this one though, like I said, may leave you like a fish struggling for brea-well water- out of the ocean/river/aquarium/you get the idea. I’ll cover more of the world building issues later on so let’s get back to the story. Before that though, there is also the neutral advance to this – you just shrug and roll along with it (which is what I did). You do after all get jumps back to the occurrences in Davillon throughout the book (I am happy to report that Renard gets more cameo time!).
Right. Story. Got it. The main plot…I think I’ll be lazy and make it clear with the official synopsis:
It’s been six months since Widdershins and her own “personal god” Olgun fled the city of Davillon. During their travels, Widdershins unwittingly discovers that a noble house is preparing to move against the last surviving bastion of the Delacroix family.
Determined to help the distant relatives of her deceased adopted father, Alexandre Delacroix, she travels to a small town at the edge of the nation. There, she works at unraveling a plot involving this rival house and a local criminal organization, all while under intense suspicion from the very people she’s trying to rescue.
Along the way she’ll have to deal with a traitor inside the Delacroix family, a mad alchemist, and an infatuated young nobleman who won’t take no for an answer.
Sounds interesting? Well to me it did..until I found that it was somewhat misleading in some places. Let’s make it clear – the plot with the whole conspiracy was a mess. You didn’t know where it began or ended. I got the impression that Marmell was somewhat unsure of how to approach it and threw at us random events, hoping it’ll all nicely click into place. It would have worked well…if logic was involved. I think I shall comment on every plot point the synopsis promises to show what I mean.
It’s been six months since Widdershins and her own “personal god” Olgun fled the city of Davillon. During their travels, Widdershins unwittingly discovers that a noble house is preparing to move against the last surviving bastion of the Delacroix family.
I think you can guess that the bold text is the key plot point here. ‘Unwittingly’ indeed, I’d say. Widdershins randomly stumbles upon an old acquaintance who happens to point out the little detail. The whole discovery seems pretty random but hey – a plot is a plot, right? Next – the noble house plotting part. Okay…how should I say this…it would be a spoiler of course but I think oh well. You just got the warning….got it? Ready? Right – the whole thing with another house plotting it was kind of weak. They really left the dirty work to others and didn’t do much. The main villains of this book at the end were not even associated with them anymore as they decided to roll by their own rules.
Determined to help the distant relatives of her deceased adopted father, Alexandre Delacroix, she travels to a small town at the edge of the nation.
Must I emphasise ‘distant relatives’ or ‘deceased adopted father’? Why on earth did Widdershins wish to help out those guys? She hardly knew them and being a relative, let alone a distant one, of someone doesn’t mean that they are the same type of people (as she discovers later). And why is she surprised by how different they are? Yes, it is possible for most of them to be complete jerks despite Alexandre being her saviour. I guess she was just seeking a distraction, but it would be confusing for anyone who picks up Lost Covenant without reading the previous 2 books despite the author claiming that the books can be read separately.
There, she works at unraveling a plot involving this rival house and a local criminal organization, all while under intense suspicion from the very people she’s trying to rescue.
This probably would sound exciting…that is if the investigations were actually interesting and useful. They weren’t bad but they weren’t brilliant either. Most of the time was spent by trying to avoid the other pests of Delacroix trying to throw her into prison or something.
Along the way she’ll have to deal with a traitor inside the Delacroix family, a mad alchemist, and an infatuated young nobleman who won’t take no for an answer.
The traitor did not seem that important at the beginning. Trying to solve the mystery of who the traitor was also lead to an unexpected suspect. It made sense, but not in a way a reader could have figured out on their own. Is that good or bad? Up to you but I do prefer when there are more logical patterns involved. The mad alchemist turned out to be pretty flat. It sounded exciting but their role was really at the end which was never fully achieved anyway. The alchemist part also kind of gave away that there was no magician as it was suspected at first. The part with the ‘infatuated young nobleman who won’t take no for an answer’ – I expected some haughty and cunning nobleman for some reason but what I got was a kitten whom Widdershins constantly had to help out to keep him out of trouble. I don’t know where the ‘no for an answer’ came from since he wasn’t exactly forcing his feelings onto Widdershins all the time. The ‘no for an answer’ also sounds like he would have a strong personality and quite some arrogance, I’d say it was kinda an opposite. I say kinda since Cyrille wasn’t too weak, he just…got in the way…a lot.
Let’s talk about plot twists now..because as I was sad about finishing the book – I reached the last. 3. Flopping. Pages! Marmell is officially evil as far as I’m concerned since the twist right in the very last hopping paragraph shocked me a lot and left me nearly screaming at the book fore more. Oh the wait for the next book is annoying…
The characters – 4/5 stars:
Widdershins: She’s back but this time she is more emotionally scarred than ever. Apparently losing Julien was the last branch for her to fully snap and leave Davillon. Never mind her other friends who care for her! What do they know anyway, right? Well… It is understandable though – she did lose a lot of important people in her life. The way I see it is that she believes she brings trouble and demise to those around her (she’s not far off…although why misfortune favours her is a mystery…must be a protagonist thing). She has matured quite a lot if we compare her to the first book. She takes the lead more seriously although of course her witty humour is still there. Apparently in this book Widdershins is also a mystery solver… unexpected but interesting. It is obvious that she is clever anyway since it would take at least some brains to outsmart many of those she has robbed, but I think solving a mystery is not something a thief would normally do. This is the point where I began to question who Widdershins was now anyway – she wasn’t a full thief since she ‘abandoned’ her ways in False Covenant but she just wanders around so…she’s a traveller? She seems to have been a bit broken and lost which explains why she clung onto her objective to help the Dalecroix family – she simply needed at least some sort of purpose in life as well as a distraction, as I mentioned before.
Olgun: I don’t really know what to comment on this…god anymore. The communication system is still the same but I think Widdershins relies on him maybe a bit too much.
Cyrille: Fresh blood, I see. This new character was inevitably rather annoying. As I have said before – he always got in the way. Despite Widdershins trying to gather at least some clues, he always ended up ruining it whether directly (by being clumsy/careless) or indirectly (his family trying to get him back since they thought Widdershins seduced him away and was a bad influence). In the end he turned out to be an easily disposable character as Widdershins obviously rejects him and leaves. Such pity much time wasted.
Renard: Finally some more cameo time! …although not much. Things seem to be stirring in Davillon – not exactly in a good way. It seems that Renard’s position and life is under threat and well…the epilogue pretty much suggests he’s dead meat. A dangerous cliff hanger, we were left with. Marmell is treading on a mine field as I sharpen my throwing knives and pack my suitcase just in case I have to visit a certain author in America to ‘persuade’ them into leaving Renald alive and well.
Delacroix family: Annoying haughty aristocrats. Really, they annoyed me a lot. They got in the way as well which was pretty annoying but that was the intention so I can’t complain too much.
Antagonists: Wow..just…wow… Not exactly in a good way… Marmell is really not reluctant to sharpen his pen and stab a few characters to death, is he? I think the massacre was rather disturbing, for me anyway. I guess it gave the villains the final coating for the readers’ hatred for them as what they were doing was beyond crossing the lines of morality.
The others: A certain little witch returns from the first book and I think you can guess who I’m referring to if you read it. She seems to have made her own deal with the devil/god.
Writer’s technique – 4/5 stars:
The stakes are getting higher, the themes are getting darker and Marmell seems to be able to glide through this with his writing. It is done well yet I still cannot give him the full 5 stars. It can’t be helped as something extremely special has to impress me. In his first book it was the puzzle, in Leavitt’s novel it was her magical style. This however is the usual normal style. It is skilful but nothing too complex or clever. I still like it though – it is one of my favourites and I really love the action scenes which are increasing throughout the series. Also, despite my complaints, the last plot twist of the book was well positioned to set out the stage for the grand finale of the fourth book.
Oh dear. Seems I nearly forgot about the word building comment I promised earlier. Right. Davillon was never fully and truly explored in the other books. It is understandable since you don't exactly need to know. It happens all the time with many books of this genre. The world outside however was explored even less. Half the time you were unsure of where the character was and where the action was happening except the simple locations of 'street' or 'inn' or 'random building' or 'mansion'. That's as far as it went. The final scenes with the long corridors and many rooms may have also left a few confused. It made sense but it was balancing very carefully on the border of 'slight confusion' and 'complete confusion'.
Overall – 5/5 stars:
I’m sure you’re once again wondering why I’m ‘over-rating’ this book. Simple – despite its many flaws I still loved it. The whole series is a favourite of mine. I still enjoyed the book and all the annoyances I mentioned were obviously necessary to the story. It still flowed nicely. The last 100 pages were especially good as they had me completely glued to the book with all the tension and the revelations. This book is still good and I think it deserves more love than it receives.
To summarise:
Don’t feel discouraged by my somewhat harsh critique of the plot and some of the characters. You should really give it a try. The intrigue is more important in this book and tensions are building up. The end is not far for this series (unfortunately).
Original review: Lost Covenant Review on my Book Fox blog
December 10, 2018
Hmmm....sometimes change is not a good thing.
World: The world building is about the same as the last two book, this is a new locale though so there needed to be a lot more information to set up this new setting. There are no info dumps in this book which I enjoyed and a lot of what makes this setting interesting and new is told through Shins' eyes and it's well done. There are also pieces of the past books that come back and also continues the story while Shins is away from home so that's also a nice thing. I will say that since the start of the story the world building has been effortless but lacked details and depth and this is the case here, we get the idea of the politics of the families and also the church but we don't really go deeper or does Marmell even explain it to us (again, no info dumps) so we just get the gist of it.
Story: The change of locale move for book series' is usually to put freshness into the book and also infuse some new characters and energy in the series, that is the case here but at the same time readers will think and ask "why do we need that?" The story is solid for what it is, the mystery and the adventure interesting and well done and in line with the rest of the series, there's action, banter and fun times and sad times but this time if feels hollow. I know a lot of bad stuff happened to Shins and getting away was a logical choice but at the same time I'm reminded of a recent series I read "The Queen of Swords" by R.S. Belcher which did the same thing, took the characters out of the wonderful world with all those fun characters that readers have known for two book and want to know more about and thrown the story into something different, it's fun...but I don't really want that. That's the sense I get here. I want more of dealing with Julian's fallout and the guild and the church and the bar with all those wonderful characters and we do get a little bit of it to set up book four but barely anything. Instead we get a slew of new characters and a motivation that makes sense on the surface but doesn't really make sense in terms of character motivation. I know Shins love Alexandre but does that really apply for all of his family? That's a stretch. I like the new characters, they are interesting but when you compare them with the ones waiting back at home, I honestly don't really care. In the end the change in locale didn't really interest me and it felt like a side quest and a diversion and a waste of time more than anything. It's a good story, I enjoyed it but it's not what I wanted.
Characters: Shins is a good character, she's been through the ringer and this book shows. Her journey this book back to the city was okay, it was a bit contrived but it was consist with the book and the character. I still love her banter and interactions with others and her sense of humor is great. I didn't like that we went right back into someone fawning over her again as is the way with three books so yeah...that I don't like. The new characters are okay, they are not bad but as I said above I don't care. I don't care about Alexandre's relatives and house if it doesn't even have him so having me cheer for Shins helping them is meh. I'd rather be more attached with Julian and his story as we barely touched that and if we are counting who's more important I want to say Gen's family is. The villain this time around was okay, did it's job and was a baddie.
It was a good book but not the book I expected and wanted, hopefully the next book will get back to what's good.
Onward to the next book!
World: The world building is about the same as the last two book, this is a new locale though so there needed to be a lot more information to set up this new setting. There are no info dumps in this book which I enjoyed and a lot of what makes this setting interesting and new is told through Shins' eyes and it's well done. There are also pieces of the past books that come back and also continues the story while Shins is away from home so that's also a nice thing. I will say that since the start of the story the world building has been effortless but lacked details and depth and this is the case here, we get the idea of the politics of the families and also the church but we don't really go deeper or does Marmell even explain it to us (again, no info dumps) so we just get the gist of it.
Story: The change of locale move for book series' is usually to put freshness into the book and also infuse some new characters and energy in the series, that is the case here but at the same time readers will think and ask "why do we need that?" The story is solid for what it is, the mystery and the adventure interesting and well done and in line with the rest of the series, there's action, banter and fun times and sad times but this time if feels hollow. I know a lot of bad stuff happened to Shins and getting away was a logical choice but at the same time I'm reminded of a recent series I read "The Queen of Swords" by R.S. Belcher which did the same thing, took the characters out of the wonderful world with all those fun characters that readers have known for two book and want to know more about and thrown the story into something different, it's fun...but I don't really want that. That's the sense I get here. I want more of dealing with Julian's fallout and the guild and the church and the bar with all those wonderful characters and we do get a little bit of it to set up book four but barely anything. Instead we get a slew of new characters and a motivation that makes sense on the surface but doesn't really make sense in terms of character motivation. I know Shins love Alexandre but does that really apply for all of his family? That's a stretch. I like the new characters, they are interesting but when you compare them with the ones waiting back at home, I honestly don't really care. In the end the change in locale didn't really interest me and it felt like a side quest and a diversion and a waste of time more than anything. It's a good story, I enjoyed it but it's not what I wanted.
Characters: Shins is a good character, she's been through the ringer and this book shows. Her journey this book back to the city was okay, it was a bit contrived but it was consist with the book and the character. I still love her banter and interactions with others and her sense of humor is great. I didn't like that we went right back into someone fawning over her again as is the way with three books so yeah...that I don't like. The new characters are okay, they are not bad but as I said above I don't care. I don't care about Alexandre's relatives and house if it doesn't even have him so having me cheer for Shins helping them is meh. I'd rather be more attached with Julian and his story as we barely touched that and if we are counting who's more important I want to say Gen's family is. The villain this time around was okay, did it's job and was a baddie.
It was a good book but not the book I expected and wanted, hopefully the next book will get back to what's good.
Onward to the next book!
April 27, 2014
Lost Covenant is the third book in Ari Marmell's Widdershins series. I really enjoy this series, possibly because the set-up is similar to my own book The Skewed Throne, with a young rogue-ish girl with morals living in the slums of the city who gets caught up in events far beyond her standing. My book is a little darker in nature (aimed for the adult crowd), while Ari's is aimed more toward the YA market though.
In any case, the premise of this book is that Widdershins has fled the city of Davillon after her last altercation and its consequences, afraid that her presence is endangering all of those she loves. While away, she stumbles over a plot to destroy the Delacroix family. Since Alexandre Delacrois was the nobleman who took her in from the slums and cared for her, she attempts to unravel the plot and save the remnants of her adopted father's relatives. Except none of them trust her. She'll have to convince them her intentions are good while at the same time stopping the criminal underground from killing her . . .
As I said, I enjoy Widdershins, mostly because of her character and especially because of her relationship with the god Olgun. The banter between these two keeps the pace moving along swiftly and brings lighter elements to some of the darker parts of the book. I will admit that it takes some settling in to get used to Widdershins and her conversational style when you start one of her books, but once you adjust, she invariably makes you grin. There are darker moments in the books, as Widdershins deals with the darker side of human nature and how ugly it can get, but her basic morality keeps the reader grounded.
This book was interesting in comparison to the previous two, because the bad guys weren't all that supernatural in nature. The biggest nod in that direction was the alchemy (which I haven't spoiled because they mention it in the cover copy of the book). The criminals are just that--criminals, with no real supernatural element to them. This non-supernatural aspect made this book less terrifying than the previous one (where the bad guy was damn creepy), but it was also refreshing. I found the final twist as to what they really intended gruesome and believable and a cool twist on alchemy.
And there was a subplot woven through everything that is not resolved here and is obviously intended as a hook into the next book. I won't spoil that, but it certainly makes me wish the next book were out now.
Overall, a solid book. Not as good as the previous one (but mostly because it wasn't as dark, and I like dark). Widdershins continues to grow, and I feel that this book was a nice breather in her adventures, before she returns and faces what was so obviously set up as her next challenge in the next book.
In any case, the premise of this book is that Widdershins has fled the city of Davillon after her last altercation and its consequences, afraid that her presence is endangering all of those she loves. While away, she stumbles over a plot to destroy the Delacroix family. Since Alexandre Delacrois was the nobleman who took her in from the slums and cared for her, she attempts to unravel the plot and save the remnants of her adopted father's relatives. Except none of them trust her. She'll have to convince them her intentions are good while at the same time stopping the criminal underground from killing her . . .
As I said, I enjoy Widdershins, mostly because of her character and especially because of her relationship with the god Olgun. The banter between these two keeps the pace moving along swiftly and brings lighter elements to some of the darker parts of the book. I will admit that it takes some settling in to get used to Widdershins and her conversational style when you start one of her books, but once you adjust, she invariably makes you grin. There are darker moments in the books, as Widdershins deals with the darker side of human nature and how ugly it can get, but her basic morality keeps the reader grounded.
This book was interesting in comparison to the previous two, because the bad guys weren't all that supernatural in nature. The biggest nod in that direction was the alchemy (which I haven't spoiled because they mention it in the cover copy of the book). The criminals are just that--criminals, with no real supernatural element to them. This non-supernatural aspect made this book less terrifying than the previous one (where the bad guy was damn creepy), but it was also refreshing. I found the final twist as to what they really intended gruesome and believable and a cool twist on alchemy.
And there was a subplot woven through everything that is not resolved here and is obviously intended as a hook into the next book. I won't spoil that, but it certainly makes me wish the next book were out now.
Overall, a solid book. Not as good as the previous one (but mostly because it wasn't as dark, and I like dark). Widdershins continues to grow, and I feel that this book was a nice breather in her adventures, before she returns and faces what was so obviously set up as her next challenge in the next book.
December 17, 2014
Lost Covenant is another exciting adventure for our dear Widdershins. It's a little different though, since she's been away from Davillon for six months now. She's away from her friends, and her only company is her personal god, Olgun. Shins is all alone until she stumbles upon a new mystery. It involves the family of the man who once took her in as his own, so she feels obligated to help, since she feels she had failed him. But in true Widdershins fashion, she manages to draw suspicion upon herself and the family doesn't want her near them! She's dedicated to her cause though, as always. And of course more trouble happens to find her even though she's far from home.
I didn't enjoy Lost Covenant quite as much as the previous two, but I still had fun reading it. Widdershins manages to attract trouble wherever she goes, even if people don't know who she is. I think I was just expecting some bigger changes in Widdershins after the intensity of the ending of the previous book. She seemed a little less reckless, but she's mostly the same ol' Widdershins that I've grown to love. I liked that she was so willing to help out these people that she didn't know, just because they were related to her "father." I suppose I was just expecting more out of her, since she's missing her support system that she had back home.
Speaking of Davillon; there are some interludes that showed what was happening back there. At first, I wasn't quite sure what was going on, but then...oh dang! A blast from the past is out to get Widdershins and she's not even there! Of course this person has to take it out on those close to her, which is seriously messed up. But then that ending...OMG...creepy! Why, oh, why! That last line is going to haunt me until I can get my hands on the fourth book!
In the end, I liked Lost Covenant. It was missing a few things for me, but that ending more than made up for it! Widdershins continues to be a kick ass heroine, and her and Olgun still make a great team. I can't wait for her to get back home to Robin though! I missed her! The plot this time around also introduced us to alchemy which I seriously wish there had been more of! We get a few explanations about this lost talent, but it would have been nice to get a few sections from the bad guy's perspective to see how it worked.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
I didn't enjoy Lost Covenant quite as much as the previous two, but I still had fun reading it. Widdershins manages to attract trouble wherever she goes, even if people don't know who she is. I think I was just expecting some bigger changes in Widdershins after the intensity of the ending of the previous book. She seemed a little less reckless, but she's mostly the same ol' Widdershins that I've grown to love. I liked that she was so willing to help out these people that she didn't know, just because they were related to her "father." I suppose I was just expecting more out of her, since she's missing her support system that she had back home.
Speaking of Davillon; there are some interludes that showed what was happening back there. At first, I wasn't quite sure what was going on, but then...oh dang! A blast from the past is out to get Widdershins and she's not even there! Of course this person has to take it out on those close to her, which is seriously messed up. But then that ending...OMG...creepy! Why, oh, why! That last line is going to haunt me until I can get my hands on the fourth book!
In the end, I liked Lost Covenant. It was missing a few things for me, but that ending more than made up for it! Widdershins continues to be a kick ass heroine, and her and Olgun still make a great team. I can't wait for her to get back home to Robin though! I missed her! The plot this time around also introduced us to alchemy which I seriously wish there had been more of! We get a few explanations about this lost talent, but it would have been nice to get a few sections from the bad guy's perspective to see how it worked.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
March 10, 2015
Marmell is an incredibly talented writer, and these books should be found on any fantasy afficionado's shelf. Unfortunately, Widdershins may be one of the funniest, snarkiest heroines in any of my favorite series, and her conversations with Olgun are often hysterically funny, but the Widdershins Adventures will never be found on my 'books to read when I feel bad' shelf. The subtle horror of Thief's Covenant evolved into overt horror with a truly nightmarish villain in False Covenant, but the evil in Lost Covenant is largely human devised. Alexandre's cousins are scary enough to make anyone think twice about family reunions. The Davillon interludes introduced a whole new type of nightmare for the next book. Widdershins is blindly walking into Hell, and I hope I do not have to wait long to follow her.
December 2, 2013
This ia YA, light and dark at the same time. She never has it easy and people always die in this series.
Yes poor Widdershins, she can't seem to be able to just be happy and do what she want. She is also very very angry and on the run. We do get glimpses if Davillion and the life she left behind. Something is brewing there and will set the game plan for book 4. But that is that book and this is this book.
The book takes place in a smaller city where she at once comes across something fishy. Loyal as she is she sets out to investiage. The local thieves, nobles, yes she always finds the truth and she always gets in trouble.
Widdershins is a great kick-ass YA heroine. The pace is fast, there is fighting, running and evil afoot.
I look forward to reading more.
Yes poor Widdershins, she can't seem to be able to just be happy and do what she want. She is also very very angry and on the run. We do get glimpses if Davillion and the life she left behind. Something is brewing there and will set the game plan for book 4. But that is that book and this is this book.
The book takes place in a smaller city where she at once comes across something fishy. Loyal as she is she sets out to investiage. The local thieves, nobles, yes she always finds the truth and she always gets in trouble.
Widdershins is a great kick-ass YA heroine. The pace is fast, there is fighting, running and evil afoot.
I look forward to reading more.
January 8, 2014
I really enjoyed the two first books, but this one was a little bit weak!
I like how the author can put in a story of thieves and assassins some funny moments to not make the book so harsh.
Although we have some boring dialogs here, Widdershins is always such a crazy and funny badass!
The story about the family Delacroix is very boring, but with the end of this book, I can't wait to read next, because it seems is going to be the kind of book the Widdershins' Adventure series are!
But read this book was so weird because I missed the others characters that I was used to see in the others books. I still can't get over Julien's death! Such a great character.
But, anyway, I'm looking forward to next story.
I like how the author can put in a story of thieves and assassins some funny moments to not make the book so harsh.
Although we have some boring dialogs here, Widdershins is always such a crazy and funny badass!
The story about the family Delacroix is very boring, but with the end of this book, I can't wait to read next, because it seems is going to be the kind of book the Widdershins' Adventure series are!
But read this book was so weird because I missed the others characters that I was used to see in the others books. I still can't get over Julien's death! Such a great character.
But, anyway, I'm looking forward to next story.
December 13, 2013
Shins (with Olgun, of course) has left Davillon and come to another city; naturally, she gets pulled into local intrigues (partially by choice, partially by happenstance), says inappropriate things to figures in authority, and finds herself in increasing amounts of trouble. Things do take a much darker turn towards the end of the book, but it's entirely appropriate under the circumstances. And, based on the ending, I can only hope that we'll see her again, sooner rather than later.
December 10, 2013
As always it was amazing but the end though. Ahhh please tell me there is going to be another one. I really liked how Shins matured at the end of the book and the moral implanted there. It was great and I had trouble putting it down. As for Bitchette I hope Shins gets you and teaches you not to mess with her. Sorry I got a little too into the characters. Anyway it was a fantastic read and I recommend it to anyone looking for a break from the whips and chains mass produced bit going on.
January 24, 2014
Lost Covenant is, far and away, the best book of this series yet. Marmell keeps topping himself, and this book is a fantastic showcase of his skill. The plot is riveting, the personal growth is captivating and realistic, and the emotions and atmosphere are raw and vibrant. Don’t start this book if you need to wake up early the next day. You’ll be “just one more page”-ing the night away.
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2014/01/...
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2014/01/...
April 4, 2016
Another great addition to this series. This book focuses on Widdershins - off and away from her home town. Still fighting and having adventures, this book allowed us to see'Shins' all by herself. Her character grew somewhat - although she is still an impertinent brat most of the time. Again, the author isn't afraid of doing some hard writing, skillfully incorporating fights, death, treason and the hint of romance into the pages.
January 2, 2014
Nice to visit Shins again. She's run away from her friends and the action that she's involved in takes place in 2 different cities. She basically gets to show off her experience and abilities and save the day. Meanwhile, back at home, evil is still active. The good news? The evil's not resolved so there's another book to come!
Want to read
April 23, 2013Widdershins looks so mature in this cover now. I hope it doesn't reflect in the book. But of course it will, b/c she's finally going to grow up. To be expected after what happened in the end of the previous installment. :(
dnf
January 7, 2015This series is just a little too dark for me. The good characters die and the bad guys come back. I need just a little more hope in stories.
December 27, 2014
Missed Davillion, but still love this plucky heroine!
April 15, 2015
Hızlı eğlenceli bir macera. Ari Marmel işini biliyor.
November 26, 2015
Brutal.
Read
September 28, 2013These are so flawed and so great at the same time.
March 22, 2025
J’étais ravie de retrouver notre voleuse préférée, après le final déchirant du deuxième opus. L’attente a été longue !
Widdershins n’a pas refait surface à Davillon depuis les évènements tragiques qui l’ont poussée à partir et n’a pas l’intention d’y retourner pour l’instant. Ses pas vont la conduire à travers la Galice et, malgré elle, elle va se retrouver mêlée à une intrigue qui la dépasse. Tout semble se liguer contre elle, mais elle s’acharne pour honorer la mémoire d’une personne qui lui était chère. Olgun et Widdershins vont devoir franchir leurs limites et faire preuve d’ingéniosité afin de venir à bout de cette histoire où tout se mêle : politique, rivalités familiales, redoutable troupe de brigands avec selon les rumeurs un sorcier dans ses rangs, etc.
Pendant ce temps-là, à Davillon les choses ne vont pas si bien que l’on aurait pu le croire. La ville est en train de tomber aux mains d’une ennemie puissante et Shins est bien loin de s’en douter…
Je n’ai pas trop voulu résumer, car franchement ce serait dommage de trop en dire. Il FAUT lire ce troisième opus. Je me suis vraiment régalée ! Je trouve que, dans cette saga, les tomes sont vraiment de mieux en mieux. J’avais aimé les deux premiers, mais celui-là était encore au-dessus des précédents.
Je vais commencer par les personnages. Widdershins est vraiment différente. Si elle a toujours son caractère légendaire, son manque de savoir-vivre qui la rend attachante et son sens de l’humour qui m’aura bien fait sourire une fois de plus, elle se montre également plus humaine et plus fragile par moments. Je me suis vraiment sentie plus proche d’elle, plus touchée par ce qu’elle traversait. Malgré la carapace qu’elle a tenté de se construire pour oublier tout ce qui lui était arrivé, on se rend compte qu’elle est bien plus sensible et va même jusqu’à craquer parfois.
Olgun, son dieu de poche, est fidèle à lui-même. Toujours le mot pour rire et pour mettre Widdershins hors d’elle. Je l’ai trouvé plus proche d’elle, à sa façon il est devenu un véritable ami pour la voleuse. Leur connexion se renforce, pour le meilleur comme pour le pire !
Les nouveaux personnages que l’on découvre ici sont tous très intéressants, notamment au sein de la famille que Shins va tenter d’aider contre le gré de la plupart de ses membres. Un jeune noble en particulier – que je ne nommerai pas pour préserver la surprise – était franchement attendrissant malgré sa maladresse.
La plume d’Ari Marmel est toujours aussi agréable et juste. Il sait nous entrainer dans le feu de l’action et faire palpiter notre cœur au même rythme effréné que celui de Widdershins.
Je suis toujours agréablement surprise par les intrigues complexes et passionnantes que l’auteur arrive à créer et celle-là ne faisait pas exception. Il introduit quelque chose d’énorme pour la suite, mais ce troisième opus ne se contente pas d’être une introduction, c’est bien plus que cela ! Je me suis retrouvée plus rapidement emportée par l’histoire et j’ai été tenue en haleine jusqu’au bout. Il m’a été impossible de poser le livre sans avoir le fin mot de l’histoire ! Dès que j’avais cinq minutes devant moi, j’en profitais pour me plonger dans cet univers à la fois imaginaire et criant de réalité. Du coup, je n’ai absolument aucun point négatif à citer. Si ce n’est pas un véritable coup de cœur, ce n’est pas passé loin et j’ai vraiment hâte de lire la suite ! J’espère que les choses finiront par s’arranger un peu pour Shins et qu’elle décidera enfin de cesser de jouer les loups solitaires !
Je vais m’arrêter là, j’ai vraiment peur d’en dire trop ! Ce n’est jamais facile pour un troisième tome !
En résumé, ce tome est une véritable réussite ! Je l’ai largement préféré aux deux premiers que j’avais déjà beaucoup appréciés. Je me suis laissée emportée par l’histoire et par la justesse des mots d’Ari Marmell. La sensibilité toute nouvelle de Widdershins m’a émue et j’ai adoré retrouver son sens de l’humour et son caractère si particulier. L’auteur m’a bluffée une fois de plus, car je n’ai pas pu deviner la fin, ni même un seul début de piste, avant de l’avoir lue. Bref, j’ai hâte de lire la suite maintenant et je vous le conseille fortement !
Widdershins n’a pas refait surface à Davillon depuis les évènements tragiques qui l’ont poussée à partir et n’a pas l’intention d’y retourner pour l’instant. Ses pas vont la conduire à travers la Galice et, malgré elle, elle va se retrouver mêlée à une intrigue qui la dépasse. Tout semble se liguer contre elle, mais elle s’acharne pour honorer la mémoire d’une personne qui lui était chère. Olgun et Widdershins vont devoir franchir leurs limites et faire preuve d’ingéniosité afin de venir à bout de cette histoire où tout se mêle : politique, rivalités familiales, redoutable troupe de brigands avec selon les rumeurs un sorcier dans ses rangs, etc.
Pendant ce temps-là, à Davillon les choses ne vont pas si bien que l’on aurait pu le croire. La ville est en train de tomber aux mains d’une ennemie puissante et Shins est bien loin de s’en douter…
Je n’ai pas trop voulu résumer, car franchement ce serait dommage de trop en dire. Il FAUT lire ce troisième opus. Je me suis vraiment régalée ! Je trouve que, dans cette saga, les tomes sont vraiment de mieux en mieux. J’avais aimé les deux premiers, mais celui-là était encore au-dessus des précédents.
Je vais commencer par les personnages. Widdershins est vraiment différente. Si elle a toujours son caractère légendaire, son manque de savoir-vivre qui la rend attachante et son sens de l’humour qui m’aura bien fait sourire une fois de plus, elle se montre également plus humaine et plus fragile par moments. Je me suis vraiment sentie plus proche d’elle, plus touchée par ce qu’elle traversait. Malgré la carapace qu’elle a tenté de se construire pour oublier tout ce qui lui était arrivé, on se rend compte qu’elle est bien plus sensible et va même jusqu’à craquer parfois.
Olgun, son dieu de poche, est fidèle à lui-même. Toujours le mot pour rire et pour mettre Widdershins hors d’elle. Je l’ai trouvé plus proche d’elle, à sa façon il est devenu un véritable ami pour la voleuse. Leur connexion se renforce, pour le meilleur comme pour le pire !
Les nouveaux personnages que l’on découvre ici sont tous très intéressants, notamment au sein de la famille que Shins va tenter d’aider contre le gré de la plupart de ses membres. Un jeune noble en particulier – que je ne nommerai pas pour préserver la surprise – était franchement attendrissant malgré sa maladresse.
La plume d’Ari Marmel est toujours aussi agréable et juste. Il sait nous entrainer dans le feu de l’action et faire palpiter notre cœur au même rythme effréné que celui de Widdershins.
Je suis toujours agréablement surprise par les intrigues complexes et passionnantes que l’auteur arrive à créer et celle-là ne faisait pas exception. Il introduit quelque chose d’énorme pour la suite, mais ce troisième opus ne se contente pas d’être une introduction, c’est bien plus que cela ! Je me suis retrouvée plus rapidement emportée par l’histoire et j’ai été tenue en haleine jusqu’au bout. Il m’a été impossible de poser le livre sans avoir le fin mot de l’histoire ! Dès que j’avais cinq minutes devant moi, j’en profitais pour me plonger dans cet univers à la fois imaginaire et criant de réalité. Du coup, je n’ai absolument aucun point négatif à citer. Si ce n’est pas un véritable coup de cœur, ce n’est pas passé loin et j’ai vraiment hâte de lire la suite ! J’espère que les choses finiront par s’arranger un peu pour Shins et qu’elle décidera enfin de cesser de jouer les loups solitaires !
Je vais m’arrêter là, j’ai vraiment peur d’en dire trop ! Ce n’est jamais facile pour un troisième tome !
En résumé, ce tome est une véritable réussite ! Je l’ai largement préféré aux deux premiers que j’avais déjà beaucoup appréciés. Je me suis laissée emportée par l’histoire et par la justesse des mots d’Ari Marmell. La sensibilité toute nouvelle de Widdershins m’a émue et j’ai adoré retrouver son sens de l’humour et son caractère si particulier. L’auteur m’a bluffée une fois de plus, car je n’ai pas pu deviner la fin, ni même un seul début de piste, avant de l’avoir lue. Bref, j’ai hâte de lire la suite maintenant et je vous le conseille fortement !
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